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Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir water level

River gauge, Inlet Canal, South Dakota, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for late October

Water level

4.92ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
143 cfs
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5

History

History
456ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 20Oct 21456ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21
456ftSep 22Sep 29Oct 6Oct 14Oct 21456ftSep 22Oct 6Oct 21
456ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026456ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
456ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026456ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir is at 4.92 ft, in the normal range for late October.

That puts it 0.05 ft below the median of 4.97 ft for late October, based on 9 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5.26 ft (−0.34 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.77 ft and 4.94 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
4.97 ft0.05 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
3.98 ft – 5.44 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year
5.26 ft−0.34 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4.77 ft – 4.94 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3.81 ft – 6.07 ft

Floating and fishing near Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 82° 37° – Wind 7 mph
18 Sun 68° 45° – Wind 10 mph
19 Mon 65° 42° – Wind 24 mph
20 Tue 76° 49° – Wind 8 mph
21 Wed 71° 50° – Wind 9 mph
22 Thu 80° 53° 0.00 in Wind 9 mph
23 Fri 78° 45° 0.31 in, 35% Wind 30 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:02 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Belle Fourche River near FruitdaleRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River 1.56 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 0.7 mi
Belle Fourche ReservoirReservoir 2,956.96 ft Normal 3.8 mi
Redwater River above Belle FourcheRiver gauge, Redwater River 3.11 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 5.7 mi
Whitewood Creek near WhitewoodRiver gauge, Whitewood Creek 5.46 ft Below flood stage ±0 14 mi
Whitewood Creek above ValeRiver gauge, Whitewood Creek 0.0 cfs Very low ±0 14 mi
Belle Fourche River at Wy-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River 3.43 ft Below flood stage ±0 16 mi
Spearfish Creek at SpearfishRiver gauge, Spearfish Creek 4.81 ft Below flood stage ±0 16 mi
Murray Ditch above Headgate at Wy-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Murray Ditch 0.0 cfs Low ±0 18 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir compare with last year?

It is 0.34 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.26 ft.

What is a normal level for the Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir in late October?

The median for late October is 4.97 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.98 ft and 5.44 ft, based on 9 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:45 AM MDT, the water level was 4.92 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir normal?

Normal for late October. Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:06434505 (Agency page)
Coordinates
44.70094, -103.73231 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 4.92 ft 2026-10-21 09:45 Provisional
Flow 143 cfs 2026-10-21 09:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Inlet Canal above Belle Fourche Reservoir (usgs:06434505). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/south-dakota/inlet-canal-above-belle-fourche-reservoir

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.